Work rolls of 4-high, 5-high and 6-high rolling mills presently are provided with chocks (chucks) with bearings to support the ends of the work rolls. Such chocks serve to hold the rolls in appropriate positions in the mill stand and to transmit the roll balance and bending forces which are applied to the chocks by means of hydraulic cylinders.
This requires that each roll have two chocks which must be removed when the associated rolls are removed for regrinding and refinishing and replaced when such repair and maintenance procedures are completed. Such procedures are difficult, time-consuming and expensive.
Moreover, existing roll bending and balancing arrangements are complicated in that the roll bending and balance cylinders usually are mounted inside the work roll chocks, the backup roll chocks, Mae West blocks or E-blocks attached to the mill housing posts. In order to provide off setting of the rolls, it is necessary to place shims between the chocks and the housing posts. Special mechanisms are required to provide a roll crossing configuration.